Paresh Baruah slams Muivah for shunning a?unity move

GUWAHATI: Paresh Baruah, who leads the Ulfa hardlinersa faction, has come down heavily on his one-time ally, NSCN(IM) general secretary Thuinglang Muivah, for failing to provide the Nagas with a solution by choosing to go alone instead of leading a united armed rebellion by all outfits of the region.

Baruahas faction stated in an email statement on Wednesday: asThe government for long has been taking advantage of the discord among various outfits of the region. Way back in 1985, Ulfa had proposed to NSCN(IM) general secretary Thuinglang Muivah to initiate a unity move among the outfits as the government would try to play the divisive game and create fratricidal killings. Had the unity move taken place then, the movement for sovereignty in the northeastern states would have been at a different stage today.a? The statement in the email was signed by Baruahas press secretary Arunodoy Dohotia.

The statement said that Muivahas refusal to unite all the groups has resulted in cascading effects. The email cited the October 10 gunfight between the cadres of NSCN(IM) and the Zeliangrong United Front (ZUF) at Panphai village in Tamenglong district of Manipur as an outcome of the non-existence of unity among the groups.

Baruahas unity call has come ahead of the peace talks between the pro-talk faction of Ulfa led by Arabinda Rajkhowa and the Centre on October 23 in New Delhi. Without taking the pro-talk groupas name, the hardliners described the current efforts for finding a solution single-handedly as a futile exercise. asWe have seen how the NSCN leadership, despite being so wise and learned, has failed to fulfill the aspirations of the Naga people.a?

Ulfa in its initial years of formation was baptized by the NSCN(IM), which not only provided the infant outfit military training but logistic support as well. However, the relationship between the two outfits soured after the Ulfa leadership chose to join hands with Muivahas bitter rival and leader of NSCN(K), S S Khaplang, for building bases in Myanmar. The relationship finally snapped over control of the NC Hills corridor to Bangladesh, which Muivahas men refused to cede with.